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F1 Miami GP: Lando Norris beats Kimi Antonelli to sprint race pole with upgraded McLaren
TL;DR
Lando Norris secured pole position in the sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, outperforming championship leader Kimi Antonelli in an upgraded McLaren. This marks a significant moment as it is the first competitive outing following mid-season rules changes.
Key points
- Lando Norris topped sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix
- He defeated championship leader Kimi Antonelli
- Norris drove an upgraded McLaren Formula 1 car
- The session followed mid-season rules changes
- The Miami Autodrome circuit was not fully representative for evaluating the changes
Lando NorrisKimi AntonelliMcLarenMercedes
Motorsport photo
Lando Norris has topped sprint qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, defeating championship leader Kimi Antonelli in an upgraded McLaren Formula 1 car.
Norris topped what turned into a single-lap SQ3 shoot-out at the Miami International Autodrome, handing early 2026 dominator Mercedes a first defeat.
The session at the Miami Autodrome was the first competitive outing following a mid-season rules refinement to help drivers push flat out instead of being hampered by excessive energy management, although the stop-start circuit around the Hard Rock Stadium was not the most representative venue to evaluate the success of the FIA's intervention.
It was also the first qualifying session following an enforced month-long break, which most teams put to use to introduce vast upgrades. While 2026 leader Mercedes kept its powder dry for now, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull all rolled out significant updates to their respective machines.
In SQ1Â McLaren's Norris topped the charts, tantalisingly just 0.010s quicker than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc with Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton behind. Mercedes duo Antonelli and George Russell were fifth and sixth, a first indication Mercedes might have to pay a short-term price for being out of sync with its upgrade plan.
Q&A
Who won the sprint race pole at the Miami Grand Prix?
Lando Norris won the sprint race pole at the Miami Grand Prix.
What car did Lando Norris drive to secure pole position?
Lando Norris drove an upgraded McLaren Formula 1 car to secure pole position.
What changes were made to the rules before the Miami GP sprint race?
Mid-season rules changes were implemented to allow drivers to push flat out instead of managing excessive energy.